In a grain processing environment, it is often useful to store grain with a low moisture content. When the stored grain is ready to be processed, aqueous moisturizing agents are often added to the grain prior to processing to increase the moisture content of the grain. When the grain is being transferred from a storage area to a processing area, it has proven helpful to install a moisture sensor to continuously monitor the moisture content of the grain flow. Based on the readings from the moisture sensor, an appropriate amount of water is added to the grain to maintain a desired moisture content of the grain to be processed.
In utilizing these moisture sensors, it is necessary to maintain a consistent, compact flow of grain around the sensor to provide an accurate reading. Accordingly, it is known in the art to provide a funnel surrounding the sensor to ensure a steady flow of grain. A problem, however, with the use of a funnel concerns the potential clogging of the funnel either by the grain itself or by some larger foreign objects, such as cornstalks. The clogging of the funnel is even more of a problem when the funnel and sensor are placed downstream in the flow of grain from the moisture addition area.
It is important to note that when the funnel is clogged, the sensor only reads the moisture content of the grain lodged in the funnel and thus inaccurately monitors the grain which continues to flow around the funnel. Previously, when the funnel clogged, it was necessary to manually unclog the funnel. This often entailed sending a person inside the grain flow area to manually unclog the funnel. Accordingly, a self-clearing funnel is needed to automatically unclog the funnel and to prevent larger foreign objects (i.e., cornstalks, corn cobs, corn husks and other refuse collected with grain during harvesting) from entering the funnel.
It will be appreciated from the foregoing that prior art devices present problems which are in need of solutions. The present invention provides solutions for these and other problems.